


A False Truth

by lostin_space



Series: Whumptober2020❤️️ [3]
Category: The Old Guard (Movie 2020)
Genre: Fluff and Angst, Getting Jumped, Happy Ending, M/M, Manhandling, Threats, Whumptober 2020
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-03
Updated: 2020-10-03
Packaged: 2021-03-07 16:22:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 959
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26800600
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lostin_space/pseuds/lostin_space
Summary: "Stop acting like you don't know," the guy holding him sneered, "We all know about the rock.""The amulet," Nicky said. Joe looked at him in confusion, but soon caught on and steeled his face. "The immortality amulet."
Relationships: Joe | Yusuf Al-Kaysani/Nicky | Nicolò di Genova
Series: Whumptober2020❤️️ [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1947301
Comments: 12
Kudos: 142





	A False Truth

**Author's Note:**

> whumptober day 3: manhandle
> 
> if i missed any tags, let me know

"Get your hands off him."

As much as Joe knew they wouldn't listen, it felt worth it as men grabbed them both. It felt all too familiar, too repetitive, and it was beginning to piss him off. How many governments knew about them, exactly? How many times would they be cornered? Couldn't they even enjoy a trip to a coffee shop without getting attacked on the walk back to the hotel?

They didn't listen and Nicky was shoved into the wall. His face hit the concrete wall and Joe winced in tandem. It didn't matter that it would heal.

"Must you be so harsh?" Joe asked. They pressed Nicky harder into the wall and he stayed silent. He always did and sometimes Joe envied the ability. Most of the time, though, he was happy to be a nuisance. "What is the for? Who do you work for?"

They didn't answer as they kicked Nicky's feel apart and started to pat him down. Joe furrowed his eyebrows. Were they looking for something? When they didn't find what they wanted, they pulled Nicky away and he was scowling. Joe could see the wheels turning in his head as he let his anger fester. Later, he planned to kiss it away.

Now, though, he was shoved into the wall. It didn't bother him as much as it bothered him seeing Nicky treated in such a way. None of it made sense in his mind. Why would anyone look at him and treat him that way? He was the loveliest man to grace the Earth's surface.

They kicked his legs apart and patted him down and again found nothing. There was nothing to find.

"What do you want?" Joe asked. They ignored him.

"Someone else in their little group must have it," one of them said.

"Have what?" Joe demanded.

"Stop acting like you don't know," the guy holding him sneered, "We all know about the rock."

"The amulet," Nicky said. Joe looked at him in confusion, but soon caught on and steeled his face. "The immortality amulet."

"We'll never tell you where it is," Joe said, playing along without missing a beat. Nicky shook his head.

"We couldn't... It's something we can't share," Nicky said a little dramatically. One of the guys shoved him.

"Tell us where it is," he demanded. Joe looked at him and they pretended to have a silent conversation on whether they should or not. Eventually, Nicky sighed.

"Maybe..."

"No," Joe protested, "You can't."

"But if they let us go free," Nicky said, looking at them, "Will you let us go free?"

The men all shared looks as if they were debating. They grumbled something about not needing the subjects if they had whatever was keeping them alive forever. Joe found himself falling in love with him a little more.

"Tell us where it is," one of them demanded.

"Fine," Joe said, "Tell them."

"It's buried on the bank of the lake in Cotswold Water Park, it's south of Cirencester," Nicky answered.

"In England?" the one holding Nicky asked.

"It's the safest place," he said, "Once you've got it, you need to hold it over a candle of the same color. When it heats, dip your fingertips in the wax and hold it over the amulet and request immortality in Latin. It'll activate then."

"If you're lying, we'll hunt you down again," the one holding Joe threatened.

"Why would we lie? It's you who will have to curse next," Joe said as cynically as he could.

"Right," the man said.

They slowly seemed to be letting up at the same time and Joe made eye contact with Nicky. Within a few seconds, they were no longer the ones being pushed and shoved. All four men ended up unconscious and Nicky grabbed his arm, pulling him out of the ally.

They ran until they got back to the hotel, finding themselves laughing as they got into the elevator. It was easy to let the scary part of the situation roll of their backs when it had been easy enough to get out of. As the elevator doors closed, Joe tugged him closer and grazed his fingers over the side of his face that had hit the concrete.

"An amulet buried on the bank of a lake in Cotswold Water Park," Joe said, pride in his tone, "Doesn't that park have over 100 lakes?"

"Guess they'll be digging for a while. I bet they’ll find a rock or two along the way."

Joe laughed, tugging him even closer. "You are brilliant."

Nick leaned in for a kiss that didn't last long enough, holding his face even when he pulled away. Again, it felt like falling in love with him all over again.

"Do you really think I'd let anyone hurt you?" he asked. Joe smiled, shaking his head.

"You're the one who got pushed into the wall," he argued gently. Nicky's thumb traced his ear.

"Maybe."

There was obviously a million words he wanted to say, a million things that just booked under the surface and would be said later when they weren't still giddy from the previous events. Later, when they meant more. Later, when it sounded like nothing to anyone else and sounded like everything to him.

When they got into the room they shared with everyone else, they told them what happened and that they probably should leave before they stirred up more trouble here.

“Maybe we can go somewhere, just us, lay low,” Joe said as they gathered their things. Nicky hummed a little mindlessly, listening for a suggestion of where to. “Malta, maybe?” Nicky grinned and looked over at him with that knowing little smile.

And, truly, how could anyone put their hands on him?

**Author's Note:**

> also on my tumblr: spaceskam


End file.
